This Time Around
by The Al Bhed Mechanic
Summary: chapter 5 up! Set after the movie, Ed and Winry try to live their lives apart, but it's a bit harder than they may have thought it would be. no good at summaries, please R
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA, I don't claim to, and I never will._

_**A/N:** I tried a first fic, but it just didn't come out right, you know? So, here's a second shot at making a decided FMA fan fic. It takes place after the movie, so, if you haven't seen it, there will obviously be spoilers._

**This Time Around**

**Chapter 1**

Winry looked up at the night sky, a thousand and one questions streaming through her mind. Standing alone on the hill where she and the Elric brother's often played, she allowed herself to cry once again. When she watched Edward Elric leave for the last time, it took all she had to contain herself in front of everyone there, and for awhile, she was the talk of the town. Where ever she went, someone asked why Edward had decided not to stay, why he went back for good. Each time, Winry fought back tears and shrugged. Some things are better left unspoken.

"Edward, why? What was so important that you couldn't stay her?"

"Winry…"

Pinako walked up the hill and stood next to her granddaughter, her signature pipe in her mouth. The two women stood silent for awhile, just soaking in the atmosphere.

"Do you think…He found someone else?" Winry asked, finally breaking the silence.

Pinako chewed on the end of her pipe a bit, then turned around to walk back to the house.

"There's something I don't understand, Winry," she said as she walked. "Why is it that you're living with me again? You seemed well enough on your own."

Winry wrapped her arms around herself and looked at the ground.

"I just need to be around my family for a little bit," she assured. "I…I need some kind of family with me right now."

Pinako did not reply, she simply walked back down the hill and to the house where she and her granddaughter once again lived. Winry turned her attention back up to the sky, just in time to see a star shoot across the sky. She squeezed her eyes closed.

"Ed, if you can hear me," she whispered. "I promise that if you come back, I'll never hit, or hug you again…If that's why made you leave."

When she opened her eyes, the twinkling of millions of stars danced above her. With a great sigh, she followed the path her grandmother took back to the house, where her only family waited for her.

* * *

"Brother."

Edward and Alphonse Elric lay awake on the other side of the gate, staring up at the plain wooden ceiling. Al's words caused Ed to twist over and lock eyes with his younger brother.

"What is it Al?"

"Did you feel that?"

Ed turned back around, knowing very well what his brother meant, but he had no desire to discuss it.

"Go back to bed Al."

"Brother."

"I said go back to bed."

"How could you leave Winry?"

Ed gripped his pillow tightly, in both anger and pain. He looked at the automail arm he still wore, the constant reminder of what he left. The woman who obviously loved him made the limbs to his exact measurements, calculating exactly how much he would grow. If that was not a complete statement of love and devotion, nothing was.

"I had to seal the gate Al."

"Why didn't you bring her with us?"

Ed scrunched up his face.

"It's because of Noah, isn't it?" Al asked quietly.

"It's not what you think Al. She and I…We're just friends."

"She thinks of you as more than that."

"Well, I don't think of her that way."

"You shouldn't have left—"

"Shut up Al!"

The brothers returned to silence, but Al could only toss and turn as he tried to get comfortable. The constant noise made Ed sit up straight in bed and glare at his brother.

"It was a mistake, ok? It was something I shouldn't have done, and now I wish more than anything she was here! But from now on, we don't talk about it!"

Al's eyes were wide at his brother's outburst. Without another sound he settled down and went to bed. Edward did not sleep that night.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA, never will, so I can stop dreaming of fixing the damage done in the anime…_

_**A/N: **Oh my gosh! I got 4 reviews after just a day! I'm so grateful! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the story, I only got positive feed back, so I feel like I'm doing the show justice. Yay!_

**This Time Around**

**Chapter 2**

"Edward! Alphonse!"

Noah set down the groceries and looked at a thin, white piece of paper that laid waiting for her on the counter. She picked it up and examined it closely.

"Dear Noah," she read. "We cannot thank you enough for all that you've done for us. You helped us find a home, and took us in as family, unfortunately, we have family that we have to get back to. We're sorry if this hurts you, but, we went into this journey together, and we have to finish it together, just the two of us."

Neither brother had signed it; not that it was necessary, Noah knew exactly who left the note, and which brother wrote it. She sighed and set it back in its place, not quite sure that it was for real. She let her feet guide her up the stairs of the tiny house they currently occupied until she reached the brothers' room. Almost everything was still in place, only a few changes of clothes and other necessities had been removed.

Slowly, Noah walked over and sat on Edward's bed. After a pause, she laid down and took in his scent one last time.

"I thought maybe…There was hope for us," she said to no one.

* * *

"Brother, I feel bad," Al whispered as they walked down a small dirt path.

Edward held their few belongings and food in a cloth sack slung over his shoulder, while Al's hand were empty.

"I don't mind carrying it Al, honestly," Ed assured with his goofy, trying-to-change-the-subject grin.

"Not that," Al protested his brother's efforts. "I meant about Noah. I mean, she has done a lot for us, you know?"

Ed sighed and shifted the weight, choosing not to responded. Al hung his head a little and slowed his pace down.

"Brother, we owed her a good bye, at least."

"It would have been harder that way. Then I would have had to tell her about Winry."

"What are you going to do if she moved on?"

Both brothers froze. Al had not meant to utter those words, they had slipped. Ed squeezed the bag's drawstrings tightly with his automail hand and turned to face his brother, his golden eyes dangerous.

"You think she would?"

"I didn't say that!" Al held up his hands defensively. "I just wanted to prepare you for the worst, Brother! You did leave her suddenly!"

Ed let the bag drop onto the ground. He studied his hand carefully, then pulled off the glove he wore to cover his secret. The automail reflected the sunlight and seemed that much more angelic for it. All of Winry's love had gone into the making of the piece, and it was obvious that Ed could feel it now.

"Listen Al," he said softly. "I don't care if she's moved on or not, we have to get back, even if it's just so I can say thank you."

"Brother, how-"

"I don't know," he interrupted. "But we'll find a way. There has to be a way."

* * *

"Winry, you're going to burn the house down."

Winry turned her attention from the window to her grandmother's face, then she looked at the meal she was supposed to be cooking. What was supposed to be chicken looked more like charcoal bricks than anything, and the mashed potatoes had become a solid brown mass.

"I'm sorry," Winry tried to smile. "I just…Thought I heard his voice."

Pinako put her pipe back in her mouth and looked out the window that Winry stood by. A small grin crossed the grandmother's face.

"You know, those boys never did want to do anything unless it was said to be impossible, and this is impossible."

Winry nodded and tossed out her cooking attempts. She leaned against the counter and sighed, tapping her chin.

"I should talk to Riza and see if there's anything she can tell me."

"About what?"

"No one ever confirmed that Mustang sealed this half of the gate."

Grins spread across the Rockbell women's faces. Winry rushed to the door, grabbed her coat, and disappeared into the distance, leaving Pinako alone with her pipe and the dog.

"I hope she's not going to be disappointed again," the old woman mused. "That Elric boy has caused her enough heartache to last three generations."

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_**A/N:** I don't think it's as good as the other chapter, but, it will get better, I promise! I just have to do all this setting up stuff so I can get to the good part._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA_

_**A/N:** is still overwhelmed about how well this fic is doing I can't believe it! Four reviews for each chapter! grins and bows Thank you very much for all of your reviews, it makes me want to keep writing! Um, I'm going to try and do a little RoyxRiza this chapter, but, if they're terrible OOC, please forgive me, Ed and Winry are a little easier to write about, you know? Anyway, here's chapter 3!_

**This Time Around**

**Chapter 3**

"Sir, please control yourself."

Riza Hawkeye stood pressed against a wall in Roy Mustang's office, with the Colonel leaning over her, a little too close for comfort. She shifted the paper work in her arms and refused to make eye contact with him.

"Riza…"

"This is highly inappropriate," Riza state flatly as Mustang scooted closer, knocking the paper work onto the ground. "And it took me all day to get you to complete that."

"It's bull shit anyway," Mustang assured, reaching out and touching Hawkeye's cheek.

Riza's face instantly became red as she tried desperately to fight off her sex-driven superior. She gently pushed him away and swept by him, only to have him grab her wrist and pull her into a kiss. Her eyes were wide as the kiss became more and more passionate, and she found herself unable to pull away.

"Colonel Mustang, they said I could find Riza here—"

Winry stopped in the open doorway and covered her eyes when she saw the two lip-locked. She giggled a little and stepped back.

"It took you long enough," she said softly.

Mustang and Hawkeye broke away from each other. Hawkeye tried to compose herself, but Mustang, of course, had no shame.

"What can I do for you?" he asked lazily.

"I…um…." Winry moved her hand from her eyes. "I would like to talk to Riza, please."

"Of course."

Mustang walked nonchalantly out of the room, resisting the urge to slap Hawkeye's ass playfully. Winry waited until he was out of earshot before rushing up to Hawkeye.

"Riza," her voice was urgent. "Can anyone confirm that the colonel sealed the gate?"

Hawkeye bent down and began to gather up the abandoned paper work.

"No, there were no witnesses; he said it might get dangerous, so we allowed him to do it alone."

Winry clasped her hands together in joy.

"Do you think he lied, and maybe didn't close it at all?"

Riza looked up and tried to seem surprised, though she knew the conversation's direction since it started.

"Possibly, the Colonel does work in strange ways…"

A smile spread across Winry's lips.

"So, all they need to do is open it from their side, right?"

Hawkeye stood and brushed herself off with her free hand. She locked eyes with the young mechanic and sighed a little.

"Winry, I don't want to discourage you," she said, dropping all the formality that usually plagued her voice, "but you know that in alchemy they have to have equivalent exchange, and without something to spark the opening, or something to pay with, there's no hope for them to come back."

The hope and joy in Winry's eyes did not fade for an instant, despite the depressing words from a woman she had come to know as a friend.

"That's just what I needed to hear," Winry replied cheerfully. "It's just like Grandma said, the Elrics don't do anything unless it's deemed impossible."

A grin tugged at Hawkeye's stern mouth and she set down the papers.

"Well, then, I shall alert the Colonel to the possibility."

* * *

Ed stood naked in cool river water up to his waist, trying desperately to clean off the mud that had caked onto his skin. In the distance, Alphonse tried not to laugh at the fact that his brother was the only one hit with the mud spray, and they had no way to get to a decent bath.

"Brother, are you almost done?" Al called.

"No! Will you stop pestering me?" Ed demanded.

On a near by tree, the former state alchemist's clothes hung up drying.

"You know Brother," Al continued. "If you hadn't dropped the bag, you would have other clothes, and we wouldn't be stuck here right now."

Frustrated, Ed plunged into deeper water, letting the cool liquid fill his ears and drown out his brother's words.

_We can open the gate again, _he thought. _But what will we have to give in exchange? Our bodies again? And how can we activate it this time without Envy?_

Ed surfaced and shook his head, flinging water droplets every which way. He clamored up onto the surface and laid out in the sun to dry his own body.

"Al! Tell me if anyone's coming ok?"

"Alright."

And with the warmth of the noon-time sun beating down on him, Edward Elric let his thoughts drift.

_How can I make this up to Winry? She worked so hard on this automail, and I just left her…She's going to beat the shit out of me with that damn wrench of hers!_ Ed grimaced. _But…She didn't last time. She hugged me when she saw me. I…I wish I had hugged her back. Wait! What am I thinking! That hug didn't mean anything! It's Winry, and she was probably just overly emotional. Yeah! She was PMSing, so I can't expect that again. She can't possibly feel the same way about me…_

"Brother," Al called, nearly reading his brother's mind. "Winry loves you. Just look at the automail."

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**_A/N:_ **_not that great, everyone was OOC. I'll probably end up re-writing this chapter, ok?_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA_

_**A/N: **I'm sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out, I've been sick and working and whatnot, so I hope it's worth it. Also, I don't know how accurate my idea of reopening the gate is, since the version of the movie I've seen was fan subbed, and you can't always count on them to be 100 correct, so please forgive any errors._

**This Time Around**

**Chapter 4**

"Edward! Alphonse! Wait! Please!"

The Elric brothers turned to see a familiar gypsy running toward them. They stopped for a moment, sighing, while she caught up.

"I know you didn't want me to come," she said softly between pants. "But I have to help you make things right. It's my fault they got messed up in the first place."

Edward looked at his brother hesitantly.

"Noah," the short blonde said. "Al and I started this together, just the two of us, and that's the way we need to finish it."

Noah shook her head.

"Please. If you let me help you'll be back sooner! I've already drawn out the transmutation circle."

The brothers looked at each other with wide eyes.

"Noah! There's nothing to activate it, even if it does exist right now," Al told her. "Thank you for trying."

"No! I've figured it out," she assured. "Please, let me make it up to you and help."

Ed folded his arms and tapped the ground with the toe of his right shoe. Al kept his eyes on the gypsy the whole time.

"Let's see it then," Ed grunted. "But don't get your hopes up."

The eyes of his little brother and gypsy friend lit up. Noah grabbed their wrists and started dragging them off.

"Come on! This way!"

* * *

"Colonel, are you sure this is a good idea?"

Hawkeye and Mustang stood in the ruins where the transmutation circle was drawn. Both wore grim expressions as they walked around the large drawing.

"We need to try and bring the Elrics back," Mustang replied shortly.

Riza sighed and continued following him.

"Are you doing this for Winry or for yourself?"

"A little of both."

* * *

_**A/N:** I know it's really short, but I ran out of time! I'll get the next chapter up soon, I promise_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: **I still don't own FMA, but copy write laws say I have to write that_

_**A/N:** ok, so the last chapter was delayed and terribly short, and I feel really bad about that, so sorry to all my fans (I have fans! It's so cool!) and I hope this chapter is well worth the wait_

**This Time Around**

**Chapter 5**

Edward and Alphonse could not believe their eyes when Noah showed them the transmutation circle she created. It was perfect; every last detail in exact proportion, as if the outline remained fresh in her head from the first time she saw it. Ed bent down and resisted the urge to try and use it right away. With equivalent exchange working against them, he could not risk trying anything.

"But last time Envy and….our father….activated the gate," he said as he stood.

Al stood silently by his brother's side, his eyes wide with anticipation.

"I know," Noah moved into the center of the circle. "I'm not sure if this will work, but I owe you, both of you, so much."

Once in the exact center of the circle, the gypsy turned around to face the Elrics again.

"So please forgive me for what I'm going to do."

Both Ed and Al rushed forward as Noah pulled a knife from her sleeve. Tears lingered behind her eyes, but not a single one moved forward as she raised the knife to her neck.

"Tell Winry I'm sorry I tried to take you from her."

Just as the brothers reached her side, Noah slit her throat, letting the blood poor down onto the circle, activating it just as their father's had done. Both brothers collapsed under the weight of the emotions that over took them, touching the circle and throwing them through the gate.

* * *

"Colonel, we don't know the consequences!"

Mustang slammed his hands down on a second replica of the transmutation circle that existed on his side of the gate. Hawkeye shielded her face as the light of the transmutation filled the underground city.

* * *

"Brother…"

The Elrics watched the large gate doors open before them, and the thousands of black creatures reach out for them.

"What are we giving in exchange?" Al managed to get out before they were pulled into the abyss.

* * *

"Mustang, damn you! Roy! Where are you!"

Riza, slightly blinded from the light, stumbled around where she knew her superior was. Her hand touched a firm shoulder and her tense body relaxed. Her eyes readjusted so she could make out the form of Mustang and two others next to him. She squeezed his shoulder and put the majority of her weight on him.

"We did it? They're back?"

"Welcome back," Mustang grinned.

Rubbing their heads the Elrics returned the grin and got to their feet. Riza extended a hand which they both took in turn.

"I am sure Winry will want to be hearing from you," she told them.

Al smiled and turned to Ed.

"Yeah Brother! Let's go see her and Aunty Pinako!"

Ed stared blankly at his brother.

"Al, Lieutenant, who's Winry?"

* * *

Back at Pinako's house Winry collapsed on the floor, holding a hand to her mouth. Pinako came running and put a hand on her granddaughter's shoulder.

"Winry?"

"Something happened."

* * *

_**A/N:** ok, not very long again, and I may have messed things up, so if this chapter doesn't go over well, I'll just change it, but I hope everyone likes it, because this is the part I've been waiting to write. Please R&R_


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